Sanders K M, Ordög T, Koh S D, Torihashi S, Ward S M
Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, Nevada 89557, USA.
Neurogastroenterol Motil. 1999 Oct;11(5):311-38. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2982.1999.00164.x.
Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are the pacemakers in gastrointestinal (GI) muscles, and these cells also mediate or transduce inputs from the enteric nervous system. Different classes of ICC are involved in pacemaking and neurotransmission. ICC express specific ionic conductances that make them unique in their ability to generate and propagate slow waves in GI muscles or transduce neural inputs. Much of what we know about the function of ICC comes from developmental studies that were made possible by the discoveries that ICC express c-kit and proper development of ICC depends upon signalling via the Kit receptor pathway. Manipulating Kit signalling with reagents to block the receptor or downstream signalling pathways or by using mutant mice in which Kit or its ligand, stem cell factor, are defective has allowed novel studies into the specific functions of the different classes of ICC in several regions of the GI tract. Kit is also a surface antigen that can be used to conveniently label ICC in GI muscles. Immunohistochemical studies using Kit antibodies have expanded our knowledge about the ICC phenotype, the structure of ICC networks, the interactions of ICC with other cells in the gut wall, and the loss of ICC in some clinical disorders. Preparations made devoid of ICC have also allowed analysis of the consequences of losing specific classes of ICC on GI motility. This review describes recent advances in our knowledge about the development and plasticity of ICC and how developmental studies have contributed to our understanding of the functions of ICC. We have reviewed the clinical literature and discussed how loss or defects in ICC affect GI motor function.
Cajal间质细胞（ICC）是胃肠道（GI）肌肉中的起搏细胞，这些细胞还介导或转导来自肠神经系统的输入信号。不同类型的ICC参与起搏和神经传递。ICC表达特定的离子电导，这使得它们在产生和传播胃肠道肌肉中的慢波或转导神经输入方面具有独特能力。我们对ICC功能的许多了解来自发育研究，这些研究因ICC表达c-kit以及ICC的正常发育依赖于Kit受体途径的信号传导这两项发现而成为可能。使用试剂阻断受体或下游信号通路来操纵Kit信号传导，或者使用Kit或其配体干细胞因子有缺陷的突变小鼠，使得对胃肠道不同区域中不同类型ICC的特定功能进行了新的研究。Kit也是一种表面抗原，可用于方便地标记胃肠道肌肉中的ICC。使用Kit抗体的免疫组织化学研究扩展了我们对ICC表型、ICC网络结构、ICC与肠壁中其他细胞的相互作用以及某些临床疾病中ICC缺失的认识。去除ICC的标本也使得能够分析失去特定类型的ICC对胃肠动力的影响。本综述描述了我们在ICC发育和可塑性方面的最新知识进展，以及发育研究如何有助于我们理解ICC的功能。我们回顾了临床文献，并讨论了ICC的缺失或缺陷如何影响胃肠运动功能。
